Unilab Project Spotlight: Switchable Privacy and Acoustic Performance in Southeast Asia
Balancing Privacy, Transparency and Acoustic Performance
Modern workplaces need to accommodate different ways of working. Open, collaborative environments encourage communication, but there are also moments when privacy and concentration take priority. Finding the right balance between these needs is an important consideration when planning office interiors, particularly in spaces where visual openness and practical functionality are equally valued.
For Unilab, this project in Southeast Asia highlights how architectural glass partitions can support a more adaptable workplace. By incorporating switchable privacy glass and a single-glazed partition system with an STC 34 acoustic rating, the installation brings together visual flexibility and acoustic separation in a considered solution for the modern office.
The project reflects an approach to workplace design that goes beyond appearance alone. Glass can define spaces without making them feel enclosed, while the right combination of privacy features and acoustic performance helps create environments suited to different activities throughout the working day.
Switchable Privacy: Flexibility at the Touch of a Button
Glass partitions are often chosen for their ability to maintain visual connections between spaces while creating clear divisions within an office. However, certain rooms and meeting areas require a greater degree of privacy at different times.
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Switchable privacy glass addresses this need by allowing the glass to change between transparent and opaque states at the touch of a button. When transparency is preferred, the glass maintains a visual connection with the surrounding environment. When privacy is required, it can switch to an opaque state, providing visual screening without the need for conventional blinds or curtains.
This flexibility makes switchable privacy particularly useful for meeting rooms, discussion areas and spaces that serve multiple purposes. It allows teams to adjust the environment according to the activity taking place, while retaining the clean, contemporary appearance associated with glass partitions.
In the Unilab project, switchable privacy forms part of a wider consideration of how glass can respond to the changing needs of a workplace. It is not simply a visual feature; it is a practical way to make interior spaces more adaptable.
It is also important to distinguish visual privacy from acoustic privacy. Switchable glass controls visibility, while the acoustic performance of the partition system determines how effectively sound transmission is reduced. Both considerations matter when creating spaces for confidential discussions and focused work.
What Does STC 34 Mean for a Single-Glazed Partition?
Acoustic performance is another important consideration when specifying glass partitions for commercial offices. While glass helps preserve an open and connected environment, the level of sound separation required will vary according to the intended use of each space. The Unilab installation features a single-glazed partition solution with an STC 34 rating. STC, or Sound Transmission Class, is a rating used to describe a building element's ability to reduce airborne sound transmission. In general, a higher STC rating indicates greater sound reduction under the conditions of the relevant test.
For a single-glazed partition, STC 34 represents a useful level of acoustic performance to consider when balancing sound separation with a streamlined glass design. It offers a measured approach for projects that require more than a basic visual division between spaces, without necessarily specifying a double-glazed system for every application.
The suitability of STC 34 depends on how a room will be used. It may be appropriate for certain offices, meeting areas and spaces where a degree of acoustic separation is needed alongside a transparent, minimalist aesthetic. However, it should not be treated as a guarantee of complete speech privacy or a soundproof environment. Actual results will depend on the surrounding construction, including doors, seals, junctions and potential sound paths through ceilings or adjacent spaces.
For project teams, the key is to assess acoustic requirements early. Understanding the activities taking place in each room helps determine whether a single-glazed solution is suitable or whether a higher-performing configuration is needed.
The Benefits of a Single-Glazed Solution
Single-glazed partitions remain a practical option for many commercial interiors, particularly where visual clarity, a clean architectural finish and efficient space planning are priorities. Compared with more complex partition configurations, a single-glazed system can offer a simpler construction while preserving the sense of openness that makes glass attractive in contemporary offices. When specified appropriately, a single-glazed system with STC 34 performance can provide a balance between acoustic separation and design intent. It allows project teams to consider acoustic requirements without automatically moving to double glazing across every area, which may not be necessary for all room types.
This is especially relevant when planning different zones within the same workplace. A project may require stronger acoustic separation in some rooms while other areas prioritise visual connectivity and general conversation. Matching the partition specification to the intended function of each space can help avoid both under-specification and unnecessary complexity.
Combined with switchable privacy glass, a single-glazed partition can also support a flexible approach to the way spaces are used. Acoustic performance and visual privacy address different needs, but together they contribute to a more considered workplace solution. As with any acoustic specification, the final system should be assessed against the project's performance requirements, with attention given to the complete installation rather than the glass alone.
Supporting Workplace Projects Across Southeast Asia
The Unilab project reflects the role of architectural glass partitions in shaping contemporary commercial interiors across Southeast Asia. As workplace requirements evolve, project teams are increasingly required to consider several factors together: how spaces look, how they function, how they support privacy and how they perform acoustically.
For architects, designers, quantity surveyors and project managers, early coordination is essential. Clarifying the intended use of each space, the required acoustic rating and the need for switchable privacy helps ensure that the selected system is appropriate for the project. It also provides a clearer basis for budgeting, technical coordination and installation planning. We work with project teams to provide architectural glass partition solutions that bring together design, functionality and acoustic performance. From single-glazed systems to more specialised configurations, the objective is to help identify a solution that responds to the practical requirements of each space.
The result is a more considered approach to workplace design, where transparency, privacy and acoustic performance work together rather than compete.
